Don't Force Volunteerism

April 25, 1990|The Morning Call

To the Editor:

Oliver North lied to the Congress of the United States. Zsa Zsa Gabor assaulted a police officer. These two prominent people committed crimes and received mandatory community service as punishment. The students of the Bethlehem School District did not commit a crime but they will be forced to do mandatory community service to graduate.

Lehigh County Prison is allowing inmates to volunteer to do community service. These inmates will be paid, have their transportation supplied, do this on the time that they are already serving and will be supervised. The students will not be paid, will supply their own transportation, do this on their own free time, and how will they be supervised? Our country is looking for ways to help graduate more students. Why is the Bethlehem School District looking for ways to hinder them instead of helping them? If a student cannot complete mandatory community service he will not graduate.

Personally, we are for the community service providing that it is voluntary. Remember when a person volunteers it is something that he or she wants to do of his or her own free will.